Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-04-13
THE RAT.
Some characteristics OF the De-
spised Rodent.


The rat IS finely equipped for the Pc
culiar life he is ordained TO lead. He
has strong weapons, in the shape Of
four long and very sharp teeth-two in
the upper jaw and two in the lower.
These teeth are wedge-shaped, and,
By wonderful provision OF nature,
have always a fine, sharp, cutting edge.
On examining them carefully, the
inner part is found to be OF soft,
ivory-like composition. which can
easily be worn away, and the outside
is composed Of a glass-lIke enamel,
which is exceedingly hard. The upper
teeth work into the under. so that the
centres Of the opposed teeth meet per-
fectly in the act of gnawIng, hence the
soft part is being continually worn
away, while the hard part keeps a
sharp, chisel-like edge all the time, and
at the same time the teeth are con-
stantly growing up from the bottom,
so that as they wear away fresh sup
ply is ready. Should one of these teeth
be removed by accident or otherwise,
the opposite tooth will continue to
grow, and there being nothing 10 wear
1t away, it will project from the mouth
and be turned upon itself, and if it be
an under tooth it will often grow so
long as to penetrate the skull. There
is fact, but little known, which well
illustrates the ravages rats can infiict
on a hard substance by these little
sharp teeth. Many of the elephants
tuSks imported into London are found
to have their surfaces grooved into
small furrows Of unequal length and
depth. as though cut out by a very
sharp edged instrument. No man
would take the trouble to do this so
carefully, but the rat has found out
the tusks which contain the most gela-
tine-a most delicious mo-sel for his
palate-and he gnaws away as much
as suits him and leaves the rest for the
ivory worker, who is neither unable
nor unwilling to profit by the fact
marked by the rats teeth. The ivory
which contains large amount of gela-
tine is softer and more elastic than that
which does not, and as elasticity IS the
thing needful for billiard balls, he
selects this rat t-gnawed ivory and turns
it into beautiful elastic spheres, to be
used upon tie finest billiard tables.
The elasticity of some OF these balls Is
50 great that, when thrown forcibly on
a hard floor, they will rebound to the
height of three or four feet.
Rats have remarkable instinct for
finding out where there is anything
good for food, and it has often been
subject of wonder how they manage to
get On board ships laden with sugar
and other attractive cargoes, but the
mystery has been solved, for thsy have
been seen to come off shore 10 the ship
by means OF the rope by which she Is
mOored to the wharf. By the same
means they will leave the ship when
she comes into port, particularly il they
find their quarters Dlling or oiled with
water. The saying that rats Will al
ways leave sinking Ship Is perfectly
true. If, however, the ship be water
tight they Will continue increasing. 1t
has been told by NJ. De St. Pierre that
when the man-of-war Valiant returned
from Havana, III the year l166, the
rats increased to such an extent that
lllCl uCoAlOICN q Va
biscuit daily. The ship was finally
smoked between decks, and six hampers
were, for some time, filed every day
with the rats that had thus been killed.
When the atmospheric pumps were in
use at the terminus of the Croydon
railway. hundreds of rats lost their
lives there in this way. At night they
used to get into the large exhausting
tube to lick the grease of the leather
valve. AS soon a, the pump was put
n order TO work for the early train,
)ut these rats were sucked.
There are curious facts connected
With the habits OF the rat which war
ant o close observation Of them on the
,art of those who may have an OppOr-
unity. a lady at one time missed sew
raj eggs from her styre closet, and
naturally concluded that they had been
emored by the servant for her private
Use. Sne questioned the servant who
lenied any knowledge OF the removal.
The eggs continued TO disappear In the
ame mysterious manner, when oneI
lay the thief was unexpectedly discov
red. The lady observed one morning,
N entering her storeroom, a singular
light. A small rat was on his back
lpon the floor and grasping an egg
While larger rat was hauling him
round by the tail. In this way un-l
all the missing eggs had
,een carried away. II
1t appears that rats. like birds, fish,
tc., are often influenced to change
heir abode by want Of food or the
Ieed of a proper place where they
an procure sustenance for their
oung, and often by their fear OF
nan. A gentleman's house was once
nfested with rats, and he get COM
,l.tely rid of them by catching one Of
hem alive, and covering it with coal
ar, and allowing 1t to return to its
o,e. at another time trap was set
c night in a house where Fats wers
numerous, and IN the morning the trap
yas found sprung, with long tail In
ide. Its owner had vanished, and,
erhaps, after relating his narrow es-
ape, and how he had lost his beautiful
took al his rat friends and
eft the house forever.
The rat, though naturally savage
reature. Is capable Of being tanned and
,ade obedient to mans Will. some OF
be Japanese tame rats, teach them to
erform many tricks, and then exhibit
hem.